Lancashire firm opens bottling plant

The Morrow Brothers Packaging plant in Buckshaw Village, between the towns of Chorley and Leyland, will operate as a contract bottling plant, offering the complete process of bottling, labelling, packaging and distributing products for specialty beverage manufacturers, including some of Morrow Brothers’ existing clients.

Morrow Borthers currently employs 24 staff and the new plant is expected to create 20 more jobs and double Morrow Brothers’ revenue – from the current £2m to £4m – over a period of three years.

The £355,000 equipment finance and a term loan from HSBC Commercial Banking has helped the Preston-based Morrow Brothers produce half of the total bottling equipment, as well as fit out the new premises.

HSBC has also provided the company with a £200,000 business overdraft to support the growth of the existing business, particularly its transition into the procurement of high-quality, used kegs from breweries across the UK and Germany.

Liam Morrow, director of Morrow Brothers, said: “As a family business and SME wanting to grow in the region, the new plant at Buckshaw Village is an extremely important step for us. 

“This project was a dream in the making and HSBC has been instrumental in helping us realise it. MPL will provide our clientele with a one-stop-shop for keg servicing repairs and bottling of beverages for leading breweries, including manufacturers of craft beer, lager and cider, that require expert care for their packaging and bottling process.”

 

Clair McMeeking, area director of Business Banking in Lancashire and Cumbria at HSBC, said: “With innovation at the heart of its business, Morrow Brothers is just the kind of company we endeavour to work with – it is a trailblazer in its field, having started the British keg and cask repair industry, and enjoys an excellent reputation amongst its clients and beyond.”

 

Morrow Brothers was launched in 1969 by brothers Alan and David Morrow.